Network security solutions company WatchGuard Technologies has unveiled AuthPoint, a cloud-based multi-factor authentication (MFA) solution designed for small-to-medium businesses (SMBs).
The product is meant to make MFA accessible for SMBs who traditionally have been barred to it due to cost, complexity and management issues.
According to a new survey of IT managers and professionals conducted by independent market research firm CITE Research, 61% of respondents from companies with under 1,000 employees believe MFA services are reserved for large enterprises.
WatchGuard’s AuthPoint addresses these authentication concerns by eliminating the complex integration processes, considerable upfront expenses, and burdensome on-premises management requirements.
“We know that a large portion of data breaches involve lost credentials, and since cyber criminals target organisations of any size, MFA is now a prerequisite for all businesses,” says WatchGuard authentication director Alex Cagnoni.
“In the absence of MFA, cyber criminals can utilise a variety of techniques to acquire usernames and passwords, such as spear phishing, social engineering, and buying stolen credentials on the dark web, to gain network access and then steal valuable company and customer data.
“With AuthPoint, we’re breaking down barriers between SMBs and MFA adoption with a solution that is affordable, easy to deploy, and scalable.”
WatchGuard’s AuthPoint solution is a cloud service that can be deployed and managed from any location without the need for expensive hardware components.
The service relies on WatchGuard’s AuthPoint app to facilitate user authentication.
AuthPoint’s features include: